1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus designed for insertion into the open mouth of a can such as a paint can for increasing the convenience and cleanliness of pouring a liquid such as paint from such a can or for inserting a brush or other apparatus into the can and more specifically, to a pouring apparatus at least a portion of which is designed to be disposable and which may be readily inserted into the open mouth of a can and affixed thereto without relying upon any portion of the can or can rim other than the annular open mouth of the can to support the apparatus.
2. Prior Art
The spate of prior art patents relevant to the present invention makes it quite evident that the problems associated with pouring a liquid such as paint from an open mouth can have been long recognized. More specifically, it has been the bain of virtually anyone who has attempted to pour paint from a paint can to find it unavoidable to have some paint enter the rim or groove of the can adjacent the open mouth and in some cases, leak over the edge and onto the side of the can. Such a problem makes it difficult if not impossible to resecure the can lid to the paint can after painting has been completed and the remaining paint is to be saved. Furthermore, the mess associated with having paint along the edge of the top of the can and the side of the can and possibly pouring onto the floor beneath the can, is highly undesirable. The aforementioned problem occurs even when the paint can is not tipped to pour the paint but is retained in a horizontal position while a brush is dipped into the paint can because it is extremely difficult to prevent paint from dripping off the brush as it is removed from the can to create the same mess that would have occurred had the paint been poured out of the can. Thus, over a period of many decades numerous attempts have been made to provide an apparatus adapted for connection to the top of the paint can which overcomes the aforementioned difficulties. Unfortunately, none of these prior art attempts has proved successful either because the design of such prior art devices does not entirely solve the aforementioned problems or because the devices were in such a complex configuration that they were not commercially feasible.
The following list of prior art exemplifies all of the prior attempts at solving these problems that have for one reason or another proved to be unsatisfactory.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,331,971 Gramp PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,189 Bartels PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,594,858 Bowman PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,367 Bork PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,636,650 Marrier PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,346 Compton PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,966 Davis PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,464 Schugeld PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,837,256 Daner PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,052 Atherton PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,257 Sasse PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,112 Smith PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,667 Ullevig PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,867 Giannone PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,722 Nowak PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,457 Smart PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,249 Weir, Jr. et al PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,453 Kapples PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,901 Kirk PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,537 McAlister PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,064 Westcott PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,568 Pool
U.S. Pat. No. 2,331,971 to Gramp is directed to a detachable pour spout which utilizes a wire in combination with the pouring lip. The reinforcing wire is inserted into the annular rim portion of the paint can. The pouring lip may be formed of some type of heavy weight paper or light card stock.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,189 to Bartels is directed to a strainer/spout attachment for cans. An arcuate member is formed to frictionally engage in supported relation in an annular trough. The trough forms an annular channel and the overall system is inserted therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,594,858 to Bowman is directed to a detachable pouring spout and includes a resilient retainer wire. The retainer is inserted in a paper blank which forms a spout unit which is then grasped by a handle section and compressed until it is received within the rim section of the paint can.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,346 to Compton is directed to a spout/brush scraper accessory for paint cans. This includes a pouring spout where the circular edge of the spout member is rolled into a bead which is frictionally fit with the sidewalls.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,837,256 to Daner is the most relevant prior art in that it discloses the use of a wedge-like shape to threadably engage the paint can opening rim. The lower portion of an annular wall is tapered. A collar which engages the can rim is also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,052 is directed to a paint can attachment and provides for a circular-type system having a ledge and an edge which serves as both a paint rest and a paint removal system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,667 is directed to a pouring spout which interfaces with the rim of a paint can.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,453 is directed to a combined closure and pouring device and is particularly useful for closure devices which may be paint cans. This system appears to be rim engaging where the closure portion is normally circular in shape and passes over the rim edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,901 is a dripless spout for paint cans. There is a mating engagement between a circular bead and a circular groove of the paint can.
All of the prior art noted above may be characterized as failing to provide a commercially satisfactory solution to the aforementioned problems either because of the complexity and attendant expense of the attempted solution or because the solution proposed by the prior art proved inadequate. One typical example of the complexity of the prior art seen in a number of the aforementioned prior art patents is the attempt to utilize the top exterior rim of the can adjacent the open mouth as a means for supporting all or a portion of the elements comprising the prior art devices.